PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — The Wildcats have faced a difficult early-season schedule, with two of the opponents considered among the top contenders in Eastern Maine Class B.
The results backed that up as PI lost to both Camden Hills and most recently Messalonskee, the defending Class B state champs. The Wildcats did get in the win column last Tuesday by besting Houlton-Hodgdon at home.
In the victory, Joseph Patenaude scored four goals and picked up an assist in the 8-3 victory over the Blackhawks. PI fell behind, 2-1, in the first period before outscoring the Blackhawks, 5-0, in the second period to gain the lead.
Reece McDougall added a pair of goals, while Alex Michaud and Austin Bouchard each added single goals. Alex Brewer, Jack Andrus, Dan Boucher and Cooper Madore all picked up assists.
Houlton received goals by Cam Clark, Drew Marino and Nick DeLucca. Josh Malone picked up an assist.
Goalies Jillian Flynn and Oliver Gerrish combined to face 18 shots for PI, while Noah Blake faced 33 shots for Houlton, which fell to 0-3.
Again at home Saturday, Brandon Nale scored two goals and picked up two assists, while Jake Dexter and Dylan Burton each had a goal and an assist to help Messalonskee top the Wildcats, 4-1.
The teams had last met in the EM Class B finals in March, with the Eagles prevailing in that one as well.
Messalonskee scored a pair of short-handed goals in the opening period and added one in each of the other periods. Boucher had the Wildcats’ goal on a hard shot from the point midway through the first period. Elijah Tuell faced 17 shots for the Eagles of Oakland, while Flynn faced 33 for PI.
“It’s early in the season and we knew we were starting out with a tough schedule, but I felt the scores in our Camden Hills and Messalonskee games were better than I had expected,” said PI coach Carl Flynn. “Our defense is allowing fewer goals than I anticipated and our offense hasn’t started clicking yet.”
Flynn said that his team is taking too many penalties, which he “seems to be an issue we need to battle through every year.”
